Review

Settling in to read a Clive Cussler novel is like riding on a
roller coaster. First, you get the feel of the coaster as it takes
you to the top of the world and offers a panoramic view of
everything within eye sight. Then you start the ride, and turn and
fly toward the ultimate conclusion. SKELETON COAST is no
exception.

The fourth novel in the Oregon Files series opens as
saddlebags of diamonds exchange hands in the Kalahari Desert in
1896. "The Kalahari and the Atlantic were locked in their eternal
struggle for territory, a fight between the erosive actions of
waves versus the awesome volume of sand the desert would pour into
the waters." H.A. Ryder had delivered saddlebags full of diamonds
to the captain of the Rove. Ryder's entourage and the full crew of
the Rove were now encased in sand --- tons and tons of it.

In the present day, a materials research company, Merrick/Singer,
owns a patent for an "organic-based system to filter up to 90% of
the sulfur out of the smoke emitted by coal-fired power plants."
Merrick and Singer, after building a multibillion dollar company,
ended their partnership, as Singer became obsessed with
environmental issues. When he saw that pouring millions of dollars
into rainforest salvation and other environmental issues yielded
minimal results, he decided to take matters into his own
hands.

Enter Juan Cabrillo, our supercharged hero, with several surprises
up his sleeves --- or should I say his prosthesis! Captain of theOregon, Cabrillo and his crew had just completed an
assignment when they responded to a mayday signal. Bad guys, with
their minds set on ending the world and teaching us all a lesson,
must be stopped. Good guys, focused on their mission to save the
world and preserve our natural resources, work furiously to get
there in time. And one very strange guy, who sees what appear to be
metal snakes in his fishing waters, comes to the rescue of the good
guys.

There are dual plots and non-stop adventures that will keep your
attention in this fast-moving tale. Environmental fanaticism,
global warming, hurricanes and a little human assistance can cause
a toxic reaction of global proportions after adding the final
ingredient --- the media.

Clive Cussler has a gift for description. Readers can escape into
unknown worlds, past and present. They know and understand each
character, see the locations used in the book, and experience the
emotions felt by the characters. These are just a few of the
reasons why I have read all of Cussler's novels, and will continue
to do so joyfully.